News

10 best things to do in Budapest

2017 October 3

1) Visit Gellért Hill and the Citadel If you want the perfect view of Budapest, you should visit Gellért Hill. Gellért Hill is situated at the bank of the Danube, on the Buda side of Budapest. On the top of this hill, you will find the white walls of the Citadel (Citadella) and the famous Liberty Monument. On the way up to the Citadel there are several viewpoints from where you get an absolutely amazing view of the Danube and the city. Climb up to the top of the walls of the Citadel and you will have a 360 degree view of the whole city. If you go there late in the afternoon, you will be able to see the city in daylight and in the dark as well, and I promise you, your jaw will drop from the amazing view you will get.

2) Visit the Buda Castle Buda Castle is an other amazing sight in Budapest. You can find several museums, historical buldings, and even a small folk market here. The Fisherman’s Bastion is located at the edge of the castle, and it looks like a building form a fairytale. The view from there is just as amazing as from the Citadel. If you are adventurous enough, you can visit this place just before the sun rises, and you will see something unforgettable. Be sure to take a camera with you, because you will want to share this memory with others.

3) Walk on Margaret Island If you want to hide from the noises of the city just for a while, and enjoy the calmness and beauty of nature, take a walk on Margaret Island. Margaret Island is located in the middle of Budapest, and it’s beautiful in every season. Not many countries have such a huge and green island right in the middle of their capital city. This island is full of flowers, beautiful trees, green grass, joggers, and people having a picnic. You can find here a pretty little Japanese garden with lakes, unique plants and a waterfall. There is even a small zoo on the island.

4) Try the Hungarian cuisine You may have heard of the most famous Hungarian dish called the ‘Goulash soup’. It’s delicious, but trust me, there are planty of other Hungarian dishes that are worth trying. Taste the tasty ‘Dobos cake’, or the sweet ‘floating islands’ (‘madártej’ in Hungarian). If you want something salty, you can try ‘paprikás krumpli’ (paprika-based stew with spicy sausage and potatoes) or the traditional Hungarian meet stew called ‘pörkölt’. Are you vegetarian? Try one of our traditional vegetable stews (‘főzelék’).

5) Walk along the bank of the Danube Walk by the Danube on the Pest side of the city, and you will not only walk by the famous Hungarian Parliament, but will also get a nice view of the city. You will discover the ‘Shoes on the Danube Bank’, a memorial that was built to honor the people who were killed in Budapest by fascist Arrow Cross militiamen during World War II.

6) Drink a nice cold/warm drink at a ruin pub Budapest is famous of its interesting ruin pubs. These ruin pubs are located in old buildings that were originally more or less abandoned. The decoration is usually pretty unique (to say the least) in these pubs. The most popular ruin pub in Budapest is Szimpla Kert, which is located in the center of Budapest. It’s quite close to the Dohány Street Synagoge, which is the largest synagogue in Europe, and the second largest one in the world.

7)Try one of Hungary’s most famous alcoholic drinks Have you heard of Pálinka, the traditional fruit brandy of Hungary? Have you ever tasted Unicum? Have you ever tried one of Hungary’s most famous wines? If your answer is no, then that’s definitely something you should put on you bucket list. Unless you don’t drink alcohol of course. In this case try the delicious elderflower syrup (‘bodza szörp’).

8) Visit the House of Terror The House of Terror is not a horror show, although it’s name may suggest that. It’s a museum that contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist regimes in 20th-century Hungary. It’s a very shocking and moving exhibition about the victims of these regimes. Some of these victims were killed in the very building of this museum. It’s not a cheertful or uplifting place to visit, but if you want to see something truly meaningful and memorable, and would like to learn more about the darker sides of Hungarian history, you will definitely find this place very interesting. House of Terror

9) Relax in one of Budapest’s thermal baths Hungary is rich in thermal water and is famous of its thermal baths. Some of the most famous ones are located in Budapest. If you want to enjoy yourself, pamper your body and have a truly relaxing experience, visit one of these places. The most popular baths in Hungary are ‘Széchenyi Gyógyfürdő‘, Gellért Gyógyfürdő and Rudas Gyógyfürdő. You can find several pools, saunas and steam rooms in these places. You can get a nice relaxing massage or sit by the pools marvelling at these spectacular buildings.

10) Visit Szentendre I know, I know. This one is not something that’s inside Budapest. But it almost is. Szentendre is located very close to Budapest and is easily accessible from Budapest by car, or public transportation. This picturesque town is located by the Danube and is famous of its cute little houses, narrow streets and it’s art life. If you visit it in Summer, be sure to try Szentendre’s delicious icecream.